We move from one Saturn ruled sign to another as the Sun ingresses into Aquarius. As Saturn takes up all the heavy lifting of two signs in a row, it is worth looking at the reason why. I had been asked this week to think about this in relation to sunlight and it certainly has helped me to get my own head around the signs and what they actually mean in relation to their ruling planets.
When the Sun moves into the feminine Saturn ruled sign of Capricorn in December, the Sun is at its lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere. But what does that mean from a seasonal point of view and the light we receive? This is determined by your perspective on where you stand on the Earth! In the UK the Sun rises around 8 am and sets just before 4 pm giving a mere 8 hours of light. That light is weak, even on a clear day there is little warmth, shadows cast are long. Any frost or snow on the ground has little if any time to thaw.
How would we think about this in a Receptive (feminine) Earth sign ruled by Saturn manner? The Capricorn season is a time when a lot of us think about turning inwards, a few days away from the routine to recharge, spend time with family, and rest. Certainly, before the industrial revolution, the dark part of the year would be a time of making the most of the last of the harvest, the slaughter of excess livestock to feed the family for winter and enjoy the last of what was perishable in a feast to welcome the promise of future light.
Even though the time was as dark as it could get, that promise of the light is what is celebrated at the Solstice. But it is the beginning of the Sun's very long climb back up towards their maximum power; the Holly king gives way to Oak.
Once the Sun moves to the Active (masculine), Fixed Air sign of Aquarius, the Sun is firmly on its way on the up, it is working on breaking free of the confines of the dark. Today as the Sun moved into Aquarius season we have over half an hour more light than we had this time last month. However, even though the light is returning the long cold nights are still very much in charge, it feels as if it has been more than a couple of months since the Sun was warm and we can enjoy a morning not having to scrape the car windscreen before starting our commute to work!
Aquarius is the sign opposite the Sun's domicile of Leo. In Leo, where the light is actually waning away from the summer solstice, it still feels like those long balmy days will go on forever (in a decent summer that is). In the opposite sign of Aquarius where Saturn rules, we can feel a real need for the Sun's light and warmth, this really is mid-winter, the time when we feel as if dark has ruled forever.
What we do get from the Aquarius period are those things that for me show bravery in nature that I associate with the time. Snowdrops start to push through the very hard cold soil. I see hares and barn owls out searching out food in the ice-cold mornings on my way to work. The frost delicately hanging on the grass verges sparkle like crystal, and as the moon has been full this last week the silver reflections are magical. It is easy to find beauty all around in the summer, it can be voluptuous to the point of exhibitionism with all the flamboyant colours of flowers, trees, and bright sunlight. But when you see a spark of colour or beauty in January it can take your breath away. My journey to and from work takes me through a beautiful piece of countryside. Today I was totally surprised to see a ‘charm’ of Goldfinches (I love that this is what a group of these lovely little birds is called), I thought they migrated over winter, so was delighted to see more than 20 of them. Instantly after a green woodpecker so bright against the backdrop of a dull grey day flew up from feeding in the grass, it was a real treat, I did feel blessed.
The unexpected is often mentioned in modern astrology talk to represent Aquarius. I got thinking about the things in mid-winter that are worth celebrating that show nature's eccentricity. The way that Gais will do Her own thing against the odds during the coldest, darkest time of the year, spoke to me about how the Sun in Aquarius season is a beauty born out of the need to rebel against that darkness and move solidly and steadily toward the light. 🐝